Easy Fresh Strawberry Mousse
Light, creamy, and tastes like pure summer – this easy strawberry mousse sets perfectly without eggs. Ready in 20 minutes of active work.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Small saucepan
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Rubber spatula
- 4 serving glasses
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries (16 oz)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Macerate the berries: Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice them into a bowl and toss with the sugar and lemon juice. Let them sit for 15 minutes – this draws out their juice and concentrates their flavor.
- Blend the puree: Pour the berries and all their syrupy juice into a blender. Blitz until completely smooth. Taste it. It should taste intensely strawberry. If it's not quite there, let it sit a little longer next time.
- Bloom the gelatin: Pour 2 tablespoons of cold water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top in an even layer. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it looks like wrinkled fruit leather.
- Dissolve the gelatin: Gently heat the strawberry puree in a small saucepan over medium-low. Once it's warm (not boiling – you should see steam but no bubbles), remove it from the heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until it's completely dissolved. Pour the puree into a large bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
- Whip the cream: In a cold mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream and vanilla until soft peaks form – when you lift the whisk, the peak should gently flop over. Don't go too far; you want it soft and billowy.
- Fold it together: Gently stir a big spoonful of whipped cream into the cooled strawberry puree to lighten it. Then add the rest and fold it in with a rubber spatula – long, slow strokes from the bottom up, turning the bowl as you go. Stop when you don't see any more white streaks.
- Chill: Divide the mousse evenly between your serving glasses. Tap them gently on the counter to settle any air bubbles. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight. The waiting is the hardest part.
Notes
Taste your berries first – if they are not sweet, add extra sugar. Do not skip cooling the puree before folding; warm puree will melt the cream. Fold gently to keep the mousse light. Store in the fridge tightly covered for up to 3 days. This mousse can be made a day ahead.